Could a ferry solve the Westside’s traffic problem?

Fantasizing about more transportation options occupies the time of any Westsider sitting in gridlock.

For David Bailey, a former USC student, who now studies transportation systems at the Technical University of Munich, this happened pretty much every time he commuted from Santa Monica to his job in the South Bay. He idled for hours on the 405 every day, dreaming about a direct rail line. When he visited his girlfriend in Palos Verdes, he would ride the bike path instead, and found himself marveling at the unused potential of the Pacific Ocean.

Last year, Bailey drew up a plan for ferry throughout the Santa Monica Bay, including detailed timetables for travel, highlighting the region’s needs more alternatives.

“LA has the car alternative figured out, we’re working on rail, but the ocean is a huge opportunity, and we’re not using it,” says Bailey.